Bangladesh Air Force Yak-130 Has Impressive Light Fighter Capabilities With IR Guided Missiles & TV Guided Smart Bombs

To fulfill the needs of an advanced jet trainer requirement of BAF Government of Bangladesh bought 16 Russian Yakovlev built Yak-130 for the country’s air force. This year BAF also ordered 14 more Yak trainer jets.

Yak-130 trainers can mimic all 4++ & 5th generation fighter jets’ cockpit. These jets can also be used as light fighter for low-intensity warfare. Besides training purposes yak advanced jet trainer can carry various types’ weapons loads for light fighter role.

Bangladesh Air Force undergoing modernization program through “Forces Goal — 2030”. Due this modernization plan BAF wants at least 6 x 16 fighter jet squadrons for protection of the country’s skies. As the program started, it needs pilots shall be highly trained and skilled by extensive aerial warfare knowledge. Hence, BAF plans and acquiring more efficient fighter-trainers which can mimic both 4++ & 5th generation stealth fighter jets avionics and cockpit. In this context Yak-130 is the only aircraft, currently, in the world which can be deployed to train pilots for 4.5th and 5th generation combat aircrafts.

It is worth to mention here that Bangladesh Air Force formed two squadron to host 24 Yak-130s. Maybe, one squadron will be deployed for light combat role and another would be dedicated to train pilots. There are also other trainer jets for intermediate flying training of pilots, K-8W Karakorum and L-39ZA Albatros intermediate jet trainers.

Alongside pilot training Yak-130 can also carry 3000 kg of weapons payloads for combat missions. This weapons load includes R-73E IR guided air-to-air missiles, KAB-500Kr TV guided smart bombs, KAB-50, 100, 250 & 500 unguided bombs and one GSh-23L/GSh-301 cannon.

This capabilities of light fighter role of Yak-130 makes it an ideal platform for COIN, AT, asymmetric warfare. And BAF intends to assert this capabilities with Yak-130 jets. As it based on an open architecture software any foreign weapon system can be installed on the Yak-130 with greater ease, which makes sense to BAF as it also deployed Chinese built aerial munitions too.

Despite a recent BAF Yak-130 crash it created a new capabilities which was previously depended on the F-BG & BGIs. In the coming years Bangladesh Air Force will purchase more modern and advanced fighter jets which boost country’s air power in a greater level.